Cyrus is an Iranian-American filmmaker and music archivist.
As head of Mississippi Records, he has collaborated with artists and their heirs to release dozens of albums from around the world and across the timelines. His music documentaries and videos have screened at festivals like Sundance and BlackStar, and on the Criterion Channel and Mubi.
His latest film, WINDOWS OF TIME, co-directed with Hubert Theotis Taylor, will be playing festivals and informal gatherings throughout 2026 and 2027 before airing on PBS in the 2027/28 season.
Select Screenings & Presentations
NTS Radio | Host | Ongoing
Nimruz & Waterwell | Unseen Iran Grant - Tehrangeles | 2026
The Creative Independent | Interview | 2026
Making Time Festival | Philadelphia, PA | 2025 & 2026
Presentations at Philly’s premiere independent electronic and outside art festival
Le Guess Who? Festival | Utrecht, NL | 2025
Presentation of THE GOLDEN AGE IS IN US
The Golden Age Is In Us | Multimedia Presentation | 2025
Tour of Scandinavia, culminating in presentation at National Film School Denmark, Copenhagen
MUBI | Moor Mother - Jazz Codes | 2023
National Endowment for the Arts | Windows of Time Community Archive Workshop | 2023
Sundance Documentary Fund | Windows of Time | 2023
BAVC MediaMaker Fellow | Windows of Time | 2023
Creative Capital Award | 2022
ATA San Francisco | Film Screenings | 2019, 2021
Criterion Channel | “I Snuck Off The Slave Ship” | 2020
Sundance Film Festival | “I Snuck Off The Slave Ship” Premiere | 2019
BAM CinemaFest | “I Snuck Off The Slave Ship” | 2019
NBC News | Raw Music International - Documentary Series about Underground Music | 2015-2016
Education | Columbia University, 2009 | Fulbright Scholar, 2010